1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for operating an auto-shutter in an air-conditioner, and more particularly, to an auto-shutter operating apparatus for use in an air-conditioner, which can open and close an auto-shutter using a shutter driver which includes a screw-rod shaped rotational rod, a bushing, a slider, and a driving motor, thereby driving the auto-shutter more effectively in terms of driving power, without employing an auto-shutter driving system which is opened and closed by a mutual operation of a conventional rack and pinion.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, an air-conditioner is divided into a wall-mounted air-conditioner and a stand-alone air-conditioner according to an installation method. The air-conditioner is divided into an integral air-conditioner where an indoor device and an outdoor device are integrated, and a separated air-conditioner where an indoor device and an outdoor device are separated from each other, according to the structure of the air-conditioner.
Here, in the case of one of the separated air-conditioners, a compressor for compressing coolant at high temperature and high pressure and a condenser for condensing the compressed coolant are installed in an outdoor device, and an evaporator for heat-exchanging the condensed coolant is provided in an indoor device.
An indoor casing in the conventional separated air-conditioner includes a cabinet-shaped outer casing where predetermined components are mounted therein and a front cover forming the front surface of the outer casing.
An inhaling unit inhaling indoor air is formed in the lower area of the front cover and an exit discharging heat-exchanged air is provided in the upper area of the inhaling unit.
Also, an auto-shutter is installed in the exit, in which the auto-shutter can be moved between an opened position opening the exit and a closed position closing the exit.
In the case that the air-conditioner operates, the auto-shutter opens the exit so that heat-exchanged air can exit from the exit, while in the case that the air-conditioner does not operate, the auto-shutter closes the exit so that heat-exchanged air cannot exit from the exit.
Meanwhile, a number of technologies exist in connection with the auto-shutter driving systems. As an example, one of the auto-shutter driving systems is disclosed in Korea Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-111640 (Dec. 20, 2001) entitled “Apparatus for opening and closing an exit in an air ventilator.” In this disclosed technology, an auto-shutter is opened and closed according to mutual operation of a rack and a pinion by a motor.
Since most of the conventional air-conditioners employ an auto-shutter driving system of a relatively complicated structure which is opened and closed by the mutual operation of a rack and a pinion, a fault ratio is relatively high and thus a maintenance cost can increase.
Accordingly, the Applicant proposed a new technique of enabling an auto-shutter to be opened and closed by a new method, thereby driving the auto-shutter more effectively in view of driving power used.